All Atlanta Public School Students to Receive Free Lunch

Georgia students are next in line to receive free lunches. Atlanta and Clayton County public schools will begin serving free lunches to students this upcoming 2013-14 school year.

Georgia is one of 10 states that signed up for Community Eligibility Option, which is part of the $4.5 billion Healthy, Hungry-free Kids Act signed into law by President Obama in 2010.

Federal education officials say the goal is to improve childhood nutrition, which if neglected can limit academic progress. The CEO program eases the application requirement that schools are required to fill out.

Officials say schools in high-poverty areas, where at least 75 percent of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunches, meals are provided to all students without collecting applications.

In Atlanta Public Schools 76 percent of students were eligible for meal assistance in 2010-2011. In Clayton County 82 percent of students were eligible for meal assistance in 2010-11…